Description
This Crispy Paleo Orange Chicken is a vibrant and flavorful dish featuring crispy fried chicken coated in a sticky, gluten-free orange sauce. It’s bright, sweet, tangy, and perfect for those following paleo, AIP-friendly, grain-free, egg-free, and soy-free diets. Ready in under an hour, it’s a wholesome and delicious meal option.
Ingredients
Scale
Crispy Paleo Orange Chicken
- 1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch pieces
- ¾ tsp sea salt (divided)
- 1 TBSP orange zest
- ½ cup cassava flour
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- ¾ cup freshly carbonated water
- 1 cup arrowroot starch
- ¼ cup avocado oil or coconut oil
Gluten Free Sticky Orange Sauce
- ¾ cup orange juice
- 1 TBSP orange zest
- ½ cup coconut aminos
- 2 TBSP apple cider vinegar
- 2 TBSP honey
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 inch ginger, grated
- ½ tsp chili flakes (omit for AIP)
- Chopped green onions and toasted sesame seeds, for garnish (optional – omit sesame seeds for Core AIP)
Instructions
- Season the Chicken: In a bowl, combine the chicken pieces with ½ teaspoon of sea salt and the orange zest. Toss well to evenly coat the chicken and set aside to marinate briefly.
- Prepare Batters: In a large bowl, whisk together cassava flour, the remaining ¼ teaspoon sea salt, garlic powder, and freshly carbonated water to make a smooth batter. In a separate bowl, place the arrowroot starch for dredging.
- Coat the Chicken: Spoon the chicken pieces into the cassava flour batter and mix thoroughly to coat. Then transfer the chicken pieces into the arrowroot starch, shaking off any excess. Work in batches for even coating.
- Make the Orange Sauce Base: In a medium bowl, combine orange juice, orange zest, coconut aminos, apple cider vinegar, and honey. Whisk well to blend the sauce flavors.
- Fry the Chicken: Heat the avocado or coconut oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the coated chicken in batches and fry until golden brown and crispy, about 5 to 7 minutes per batch. Remove the fried chicken and set aside on a plate.
- Sauté Aromatics: Using the same skillet, add minced garlic, grated ginger, and chili flakes if using. Stir and cook until fragrant, about 1 to 2 minutes.
- Thicken the Sauce: Pour the prepared orange sauce mixture into the skillet. Bring it to a boil and continue boiling until the sauce thickens slightly.
- Combine Chicken and Sauce: Return the fried chicken to the skillet and toss in the sauce. Cook together for another 5 minutes until the sauce thickly coats the chicken pieces.
- Serve: Plate the chicken with sauce over your favorite sides. Garnish with chopped green onions and toasted sesame seeds if desired. Omit sesame seeds for strict AIP compliance.
Notes
- Work in batches when dredging chicken in arrowroot starch to ensure each piece is fully coated; add more arrowroot starch if necessary.
- To keep the recipe AIP-friendly, omit chili flakes and toasted sesame seeds from garnish.
- Freshly carbonated water helps create a lighter, crispier batter for the chicken.
- This recipe is free of grains, soy, eggs, and dairy, making it suitable for paleo and AIP diets.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Mains
- Method: Frying
- Cuisine: Paleo
Keywords: Paleo orange chicken, crispy orange chicken, grain free chicken, AIP orange chicken, gluten free orange chicken, paleo dinner, sticky orange sauce
